It’s almost time for Christmas, and that means holiday-themed movies are being shown on plenty of TV channels.

As you look through your television guide, you may wonder how to decide which movies to watch. To help you navigate the sometimes rocky terrain of holiday cheer and bad one-liners, here’s a list of my favorite holiday films.

Dysfunction junction

To remind yourself that your family is actually kind of normal, try these:

* “Home Alone”: Macaulay Culkin fends off burglars after his family accidentally leaves him behind before flying to France for Christmas

* “Four Christmases”: Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon try to cram in four Christmas celebrations with each of their divorced parents.

Watching these families bumble through the holidays will make you remember your family gatherings could be a lot worse. Plus, all of these movies are very funny.

The classics

If you’re in the mood for a classic holiday film, watch:

* “White Christmas”: Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play World War II buddies who try to help their commanding officer save his failing inn after the war.

* The 1947 version of “Miracle on 34th Street”: Is that department store Santa Claus really Old St. Nick?

* “It’s a Wonderful Life”: An angel helps a frustrated small-town man (Jimmy Stewart) in a crisis realize all the good things he’s done for other people.

These are three of the movies that I believe everyone should watch at least once. All are feel-good holiday movies that will remind you why this season is fun and enjoyable.

“A Christmas Story” is another classic movie, but from a more modern era. Released in 1983, it has become a must see for the holidays as little Ralphie angles for the BB gun he wants so badly for Christmas. Haven’t seen it yet? Don’t worry, it’s being shown on TBS (Comcast cable Channel 38) for 24 hours on Christmas Day.

For young and old

“Elf” and “The Polar Express” are two movies that while made for children, can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

“Elf,” about the oversized Buddy the Elf’s travels from the North Pole to New York City to search for his true identify, is one of Will Ferrell’s best roles, and “Elf” is one of the funniest Christmas movies to date.

“The Polar Express,” an animated movie about a young boy who needs proof that Santa Claus exists, will remind you of the joys of being a child.

Page 2 of 2 - Not just at Christmas

The last movie on my list has prompted the question, “Do I watch this on Halloween, or do I watch this on Christmas?” That movie would be Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

This movie, about the residents of Halloween Town discovering Christmas Town, is creepy and visually stunning. So, watch the film on both Christmas and Halloween because it’s just that good.

Like warm eggnog

If you’re looking for a cute and cheesy movie, look no further than the Hallmark Channel (Comcast cable Channel 51) or Lifetime (Comcast cable Channel 42). These two networks have been showing a variety of holiday-themed movies since before Thanksgiving, and they have all been delightful and adorable.